Typically, when a floor or shower drain is installed, the shower stall sub-floor is a designated area of a concrete foundation or slab of a building. The concrete finishers seldom lay a perfectly level slab for the shower stall sub-floor. If the sub-floor is not level, when the shower pan or waterproof liner is installed around the flanged strainer, the liner will not be level and will have dips, trapping pockets of water.
Another drainage problem will occur when the mortar bed or mud bed is installed on top of the shower pan and around the flange-style drain. The mortar bed or mud bed is sloped to promote gravity-flow drainage. In addition, the drain will utilize a set of weep holes to drain off water that may seep down to the pan liner. However, when the mortar bed or mud bed is installed, the mortar or mud or other debris will run into the drainage ports and weep holes, clogging them. When the mortar hardens, inadequate drainage will result, allowing water to build up and stagnate. Extensive structural damage may result if the water pan overflows or leaks due to inadequate drainage.
A need existed for an improved floor and shower drain to overcome the problems associated with conventional drains.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved floor drain apparatus.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved floor drain with drainage port protectors.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved floor drain with a drainage port protector to keep material from clogging drainage ports and weep holes during and after installation of the drain and floor covering.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved floor drain with siphonage leaders.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved floor drain that can be used with water pan liners and pre-formed pans.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved floor drain that can be used with or without liners.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved floor drain with a boss to prevent water leakage under the water pan liner at the drain and liner connection.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved floor drain with multiple weep holes and drainage ports, a port protector, and siphonage leaders.